FREMONT, CA: Building an open ecosystem based around a common platform to accelerate innovation of infotainment features is what the automotive industry is looking for. With the announcement of new AGL Unified Code Base (UCB) distribution, Automotive Grade Linux (AGL) enables developers and carmakers to create in-vehicle software based on Linux, helping them deliver a modern in-vehicle infotainment and connected car experience.

The UCB distribution is based on Yocto Project, a complete embedded Linux development environment integrated with tools, metadata and documentation. The distribution provides common IVI layer that can be shared by multiple projects including AGL, GENIVI and others. It helps in completing open source development infrastructure including Git code repositories, Gerrit code review and Jira bug and issues tracking, all being hosted by the Linux Foundation.

The new Linux distribution enables continuous integration via Jenkins, automates testing infrastructure and supports QT multimedia and QML applications. It provides demo applications for home screen, media browser, HVAC control and display and AM/FM radio and navigation.

The new Linux distribution integrates open source code from AGL and other existing open source projects like Tizen and GENIVI into a single AGL UCB. Supported by a broad community of participants from the automotive, communications, and semiconductor Industries as well as individual developers, the UCB distribution allows different profiles to be created from the same code base to address all applications in the car including instrument cluster, heads up display, telematics and connected car.

The distribution has already gained attraction from several members of AGL like Toyota, Aisin AW, DENSO, Fujitsu Ten, HARMAN, Panasonic, Pioneer and Renesas Electronics who are likely to leverage the common platform for rapid innovation. the AGL distribution will initially support platforms like Renesas R-CAR M2 PORTER, Renesas R-CAR E2 SILK, various Intel boards such as the MinnowBoard MAX and QEMU x86.

"The automotive industry needs a standard open operating system and framework to enable automakers and suppliers to quickly bring smart phone-like capabilities to the car. The AGL UCB distribution will play a huge role in the adoption of Linux-based systems for all functions in the vehicle," says Dan Cauchy, General Manager of Automotive, Linux Foundation.